St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1887-12-01

| CNCll CldSS Ol HAL lHdtJeI, anu III tilC
following percentages, respectively: In
deliveries of mail letters, 13.l3; of mail
postal cards, 11.43; of registered letters,
S.7S; of newspapers, 14.O6; of local let
tiers, 26.19; and local postal cards, l5.11;
in collection of letters, 1918: of postal
cards, 1921, and of newspapers, Ills.
The enhanced local use of carriers will
be observed with interest, and its effect
| noted in the increase of postage receipts
on local matter by 1852 010.72, or 1859
per cent, bringing the gross to S6,691,-
$3.50. Necessarily. such rising de-
mandS caused the addition of many new
carriers, 400; by which the total num-
Der at the years end became 1910. The
average cost per carrier fell below that
of last year, from SSS9.15 to SS67.67, or
S21.4 to each, 2.41 per cent.
THE MONEY ORDER SERVICE
continued to increase in volume during
the past year. the amount in the aggre-
gate of domestic orders issued reaching
Sl17 1862, $50 80, and of international Or
derS S9,035, 530.31: 3.2 per centum of in
crease over the preceding year in do
meStic orders, and 25.S6 per cent in for
eign. The aggregate of postal notes
issued was II. 76S S24.S1, an increase of
but $50, Sl4.16. The reduction of the
fee from to > cents for domestic
money orders not exceeding So, purSu-
ant to the recommendation of two years
ago, has operated to increase the use
of this service to the TemitterS of small
sums to noticeable degree. The aver
age amount of each order issued last
year was S12.72, as against an average of
$l4.33 in 1856. and larger sums in previ-
Gus years. This is also indicated by the
increase of 1921 per cent in the number
of orders issued. and by the small in
crease i'll the use of postal notes. In
like manner the reduction of the fee for
foreign orders operated an enlarged use
of them, amounting to 24.72 per cent in
number.
THE SPECIAL DELIVERY SERVICE
does not appear to have commanded
much increase of patronage during the
year. Exact reports have not been re-
ceived from other than free delivery Of
fees; but by the auditors OF cOmpenSa-
ton for deliveries and the sales of
stamps, the indication is afforded of
about $50, 900 special delivery articles.
The total number at the carrier deliv-
cry offices was ], 024 ,567, of which nearly
II per cent arrived in the mails, and 90
per cent were of local origin. This GER
tainly shows that this service is deSira-
bic to some, and not unlikely may in
crease considerably as its uses become
better known. Meantime it imposes no
cost, but yields small return, about
$4,000 for the past year. Messengers
earned an average of Stops monthly at
the free delivery offices, which only en-
plOy them under the act: sum which
will command the services of competent
youths. And the service was well per-
formed, the average time between the
arrival of the matter at the pOStOffice
and its delivery being but twenty-one
minutes.
TRANSPORTATION.
On the 1St day of July, 1856, the total
annual rate of cost of the entire trans
pOrtatiOn service under the care of the
second assistant postmaster general
which embraces all but the foreign
mails stood at 500, 013, 32S.56. The ac-
tual cost for the year was less. the eX-
penditure already made being S2S, DBL
1862. besides estimated unpaid liabil-
tiles of about S252, 900 for railroad ser
vice as yet in process of adjustment. In
railroad transportation there was an adj
ditiOnal employment of 1916 miles of
newly built roads. lying in the follow
ing states to the number of miles re-
spectively stated: Kansas, 1,393.06; Ne
braSka, 754.66; Texas, 603.6S; Illinois,
576.4S; Minnesota, 417.15; Iowa, 1888;
Florida, 271; Oregon. 26S.33; and in the
territory of Dakota. 40. l3, the increased
cost of which, not yet entirely adjusted,
is estimated to be 1904. 166.40. In March.
1885, the annual rate of cost of the star
route service stood at S5,430, 993; and
contracts had been during the preeed-
ing winter awarded to begin on the LIST
day of July, 1885, which added to that
rate of cost S23S, $50, leaving the service
to stand, if unchanged at the latter
date, at the annual rate of s., 1868, $40. On
the 30th day of September, 1887, this
rate stood at s.. 020. 1871, and it is be-
lieyed the facilities afforded are Supe-
TiOr in usefulness.
THE RAILWAY NAIL SERVICE,
its extent, increase, changes, operations
and conditions, are presented in the re-
port of the general superintendent, from
which and accompanying exhibits it APP
pears that at the close of the fiscal year
there were 9l3 lines of railway poStOf-
fees, an increase of -. extending over
I16.609.12 miles of railroad. an increase
of 5,936.S2: the clerks in the service
numbered 4.S51. an increase of 27S; the
total daily distance run by clerks was
$50, 1888 miles, an increase of 7,213.3S.
The entire miles of service performed
by clerks in crews was 107 ,067. 643, a
gain of GAS, 1913 over the preceding
year. These clerks handled 1854. $780,
S75 pieces of ordinary mail matter: 5O5.-
1G9, 400 more than in the previous year.
THE REVENUE
of the past year enjoyed its chief in
crease from the sale of stamps and
stamped paper, in which the gain was
81, Do, SS7 go more than 10 per cent.
This item had the advantage of the eSti-
mated amount of $4,000 arising from
the sales from special-delivery stamps,
of which One-fifth only is the share re-
naming after the allowance for delivery
is made. The revenue from the money
order business is nominally more than
doubled; but this is only an apparent,
not real, gain. and is due wholly to the
fact that clerical services in pOStoffices
on money order account was, under the
act of 1886, charged last year TO the ap-
preparation for clerk hire in pOStOfficer,
instead of deducted from the money
order proceeds. There was in fact a
diminished money order revenue, the
consequence of the reduction IN the
rates charged for international orders
and for domestic orders Of So or less.
The item of box rents shows the sub
Stantial increase of $40, 45l.94, and the
receipts for mails carried for foreign
countries rose about 81 per cent.
THE EXPENDITURES
show an apparently rising percentage
of 81. which, although but One-half the
average of tie six years ended June so,
1885. which was 6.S per cent, yet eX-
ceedS the ratio of increase in 1886, which
was but 2.6 per cent. In fact, however,
there was little. if any, addition to the
ratio of growing expenses, because the
item of clerk hire for mOney-Order bust
ness. amounting to over 1890, 900, which
in 1856 and previous years was deducted
from the money-Order proceeds, the act
of congress mentioned transferred last
year to the other side of the account,
and because the sum of S92, 7:.6.42, al
lowed out of the receipt for Specialize
livery business is entered as an ex-
penditure of the service, instead of
being deducted from such receipts,